Winter Storm, Lower Yampa River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Lower Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.066, -108.109 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Colorado, December 5 to 6, 1996
Heavy snowfall and strong winds in exposed areas resulted in difficult travel conditions and the closure of many mountain passes throughout western Colorado. Numerous vehicle accidents were reported along with a number of avalanches.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 19 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 19
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.
Heavy snowfall and strong winds in exposed areas resulted in difficult travel conditions and the closure of many mountain passes throughout western Colorado. Numerous vehicle accidents were reported along with a number of avalanches. Snowfall totals generally ranged from 1 to 2 feet in the mountains, and 3 to 8 inches in the valleys down to about the 6000 foot level.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
19 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Central Yampa River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Elkhead and Park Mountains
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Upper Yampa River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Debeque to Silt Corridor
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Central Colorado River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Grand and Battlement Mesas
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.737, -107.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Upper Gunnison River Valley
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gunnison River Valley forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Northwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Southwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.294, -108.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Animas River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Animas River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, San Juan River Basin
- When
- December 5, 3:00 AM MST to December 6, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- San Juan River Basin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.194, -107.048 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow in Utah, December 5 to 6, 1996
- Heavy Rain in California, December 5, 1996
- Heavy Rain in California, December 5, 1996
- High Wind in Colorado, December 5, 1996
- High Wind in New Mexico, December 5 to 6, 1996
- Tornado in Oregon, December 5, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Virginia, December 5 to 6, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Virginia, December 5, 1996
- Heavy Rain in New Jersey, December 5 to 6, 1996
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, December 5, 1996
- Heavy Rain in Pennsylvania, December 5 to 6, 1996
- Winter Weather in Virginia, December 5 to 6, 1996
More
Every storm in Colorado in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5575663, 5575664, 5575665, 5575666, 5575667, 5575668, 5575669, 5575670, 5575671, 5575847, 5575848, 5575849, 5575851, 5575852, 5575853, 5575854, 5575855, 5575856, 5575857.